In early November, I wrote a story about the trend toward more full-time, permanent hiring in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And last week, CareerBuilder forecast that more companies in Texas and across the country plan to hire full-time, permanent employees this year.

A CareerBuilder survey found that 36 percent of U.S. employers expect to add full-time, permanent staff this year, up from 24 percent in 2014 and the best outlook since 2006. Nine percent expect to decrease staff levels (vs. 13 percent last year), 48 percent foresee no change and 8 percent are unsure.

Why? Companies are feeling more confident about their future and the overall economy.

Two closely followed measures of consumer confidence improved in December. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index rose to a new 7-year high and the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index rebounded after declining in November.

Other economic indicators for Texas also have been strong. Retail sales and manufacturing indexes are up. Economic activity in Texas expanded at a “solid pace” in October and November, though there’s some concern about the impact of falling oil prices in future, according to data the Federal Reserve.

Walmart workers and activists staged a protest In Chicago this summer during a Walmart shareholders meeting.

Wal-Mart workers unhappy about low pay and poor working conditions will launch Black Friday protests at 1,600 stores nationwide, including a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Grand Prairie.

The protests are part of a campaign to prod the nation’s largest retailer to pay workers at least $15 an hour and offer more workers full-time jobs.

Organizers describe next week’s planned action as the largest Wal-Mart worker strike to date.

“We can’t let the Waltons continue to destroy our families,” said Martha Seller, a California Wal-Mart worker who, on a conference call Friday, referred to the founding family of the massive chain. Seller spoke of being unable to afford groceries.

One activist called Wal-Mart the nation’s “largest poverty incubator” because of the number of Wal-Mart workers who rely on government assistance to make ends meet.

“The American taxpayer is subsidizing” Wal-Mart, said Michele Simon a public health lawyer with the group Eat Drink Politics.

“More than any other company in America, Wal-Mart has the power to [reduce] hunger in America,” she said.

Dallas startup Jack Mason is introducing its collegiate accessories line by taking an Airstream showroom on the road to visit 14 college campuses across the country.

The Airstream is making a stop Saturday for the Texas A&M vs. SMU game. The Airstream will be packed on SMU Boulevard to allow students and visitors to check out Jack Mason wares, which includes watches and wallets. Jack Mason products features logos of 30 schools, including SMU and University of Texas.

The Airstream tour began earlier this month with a stop in Austin for the the Texas vs. BYU game.

The tour will also include stops in Waco, College Station, and Tempe, Ariz.

Trinity Groves, a restaurant concept incubator near the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, is adding a luxury chocolate retailer to the mix.

Kate Weiser Chocolate, which specializes in “artistic chocolates,” is set to open Tuesday, according to a news release from Trinity Groves.

Owner operator Kate Weiser heard about Trinity Groves from a friend and decided to try for a spot in the center, in which developers fund the store construction costs and offer guidance in exchange for a stake in the business.

“Trinity Groves is very involved with the Dallas art community and since each one of my chocolates looks like a piece of abstract art it was a perfect fit,” said Weiser who described developers Phil Romano, Stuart Fitts and Butch McGregor as “built in mentors guiding me through the process.”

Weiser grew up baking in her family kitchen and sharing her creations with friends and neighbors, the release said.

Kate Weiser Chocolate will be the 14th business to open in Trinity Groves including 10 restaurants, an event space, a brewery and a retail shop.

“When we started the incubators, we wanted to find new people that could create new concepts and Kate is the perfect example,” Romano said in a statement. “She had a great concept and just needed some help getting started.”

Financial terms were not disclosed in the deal announced this morning. It was reported earlier by The New York Times.

Nordstorm has been actively building its online and men’s apparel portfolio. Over the past few years, the department store bought flash sale shopping site HauteLook and invested in online men’s brand Bonobos.

Nordstrom said its latest acquisition provides an opportunity to “capture the imagination of an under-served customer.” The Trunk Club provides men with stylists who make recommendations. Customers then receive merchandise in the mail.

Bonobos and Trunk Club both have opened showrooms in Dallas. Bonobos opened a storefront on North Henderson in June.

Meanwhile, Trunk Club opened its brick-and-mortar storefront last fall also on Henderson Avenue.

Irving-based Michaels Stores Inc. announced that its online store is ready for business today.

CEO Chuck Rubin said customers have been asking the largest U.S. arts and crafts chain to offer online shopping for years. (Wouldn’t argue with that.) After waiting this long, Michaels wanted to simplify the shopping experience, he said.

Here’s one way the site can claim it’s done that: Shoppers who chose a project can click on it and fill their cart with everything needed.

The site also mixes social media by featuring projects and products trending on Pinterest from Michaels.

Another handy feature: in-store classes are searchable by zip code and you can sign-up and pay for your class online.

Michaels said the site is also ready for shopping from tablets and smartphones.

After the Rainbow Loom rubber band crafting craze lifted Michaels’ results the last two quarters, Michaels needed something new to boost results. While it has 1,140 stores in 49 states, it probably isn’t reaching everyone who wants to shop at Michaels. E-commerce should give it a boost in sales.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are among the biggest e-commerce sites. It’s considered a must these days, right?

For now, online shopping at Michaels is limited to U.S. residents. Michaels has stores in Canada and it’s likely working on adding it there. Shipping is free to stores. So are in-store returns. Online orders of $50 or more are shipped for free.

There’s just one thing: You have to place your order by 12:15 p.m. in order to get the whole kit and kaboodle by 9 p.m. (at the latest).

Amazon says local express delivery’s been available in Dallas for a few weeks, but waited till today to make the announcement kinda-sorta official. How much will it cost ya? $9.98 for the first item, and 99 cents for each additional item … unless you’re an Amazon Prime member, in which case you’ll pay a whole $5.99 for each order. Because you can’t put a price on exclusivity and expediency when you’re getting items from Coppell and Haslet.

Staff writer Maria Halkias explains why it’s still sorta official:

A company spokeswoman said Amazon is still trying out courier services and hasn’t updated the Dallas website to make it easier for shoppers to know it’s even available.

Dallas shoppers may see same-day delivery appear at the end of the checkout process among the various options.

It still needs to refine search filters that identify what merchandise is available for the get-it-today service, she said.

Amazon expects same-day to be up to speed in Dallas later this year, just like the service it added Thursday in Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle.